Sometimes you feel like a nut....

A birthday weekend to remember....

8:33 AM by Almen, Almond, or Almendra

Happy Birthday to my Jacob! Let's celebrate by over doing it! :0) We had a HUGE b-day party a few days before with friends, a slip n slide, and 110 degree monsoon weather! Jacob couldn't have been happier! We headed for southern California early the next morning, to keep the party going! A sleepover with cousin Brody kicked off the fun. We didn't make it down to the beach much when we lived there, so I make a point of going each time we make a return visit. The weather cleared up nicely and gave my boys a great dirty afternoon with their uncles!

Special request dinner for the birthday boy was to be at my old favorite, Ruby's diner. An oreo shake and a staff birthday serenade made the night super special!

Bedtime by Uncle Richie....

We made one last stop before heading out of town.....

I am pretty sure Jake would describe his '8th' birthday as the "Best Ever!" and I will assure you that he smiled a LOT, ate a LOT of sweets, received a LOT of gifts, and felt very loved!

It's going to be a rough re-entry but I can always show him the slide show from this past weekend, when everything went HIS way! ;0)

Our week in photos...and it's only Thursday.

8:15 AM by Almen, Almond, or Almendra

I think Jake's 'happy place' is the Kids Co-op. He is never happier than deep in the mud bog, or covered in water from squirt bottle fights! He gets to spend this week creating, imagining, laughing, and PLAYING! Oh, SO MUCH playing! The car ride home isn't long enough for him to tell me all the things he did that day! We have also had lunch with our friends, payed a visit to the Natural History Museum, attended the Beach themed story hour, and although rarely home, managed to show Charlie the ins and outs of dress-up play! Tomorrow is Jake's b-party....of course there will be MORE pictures! :0)


Friends @ Qdoba!


A Marine Biologist, i guess!


Digging for fossils


Katie and Jake always in dress up!


Katie, Jake, and their new friend Lincoln!


Willow and Jake


Waiting for story hour to start...

Getaway with the kids!

3:08 PM by Almen, Almond, or Almendra

Get us out of the HEAT! 2 moms and 4 kids headed to Big Bear, California! Yes, we were out numbered! BUT we had a plan! 70 degree highs and 'sleeping with the windows open' lows! Lots of hiking, biking, and fresh air ought to get them tired......so we thought! The first night the kids were up LATE, but thankfully each night after they went to bed earlier and earlier. Dinners were a breeze too, we rode bikes for an hour before and even the pickiest of our eaters couldn't help but lick the plate clean (well almost anyway). A fun vacation with our friends, the Danners, looking forward to doing it again soon!